Four out of five e-cigarette users in Northern Ireland have never been asked to verify their age, compared to a national average of 45% across the UK, according to a recent report from Identityweek.
However, A survey reveals strong support for implementing age verification policies among vape users, with the legal purchasing age set at 18 across Northern Ireland and the UK. Despite this, young people still find it easy to access vapes.
Activists argue that vapes pose similar health risks as other age-restricted items like cigarettes and alcohol. To address these concerns, convenience stores are adopting age verification tools, making enforcement more feasible.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill, spearheaded by Rishi Sunak, aims to strengthen age verification, with suppliers like Vape Supplier Limited (VSL) distributing ITL's MyCheckr scanners to assist retailers in compliance.
